WOODLAND HILLS—After two weeks of dealing with the conflict in Gaza, 13 Israeli soldiers died in a battle that took place in Gaza on Sunday, July 20.

One of the soldiers killed was 24-year-old Max Steinberg, a native to the Woodland Hills area.

Out of the 13 Israeli soldiers killed, two of them were Americans, one being Steinberg, and the other was 21-year-old Nissim Sean Carmeli from South Padre Island, Texas. The family of Max Steinberg left for
Jerusalem on Monday, and buried their son on Wednesday, according to the Los Angeles Times. More than 30,000 individuals attended the funeral according to reports.

According to Slate Magazine, Steinberg took a trip to
Israel back in 2012 that was sponsored by Birthright
Israel, an organization that aims to educate young people of their Jewish culture and connection through their peers who have faced a similar diaspora. Birthright
Israel provided a 10-day trip to Steinberg, who later joined the Israel Defense Forces, Slate magazine noted.

The New York Times chronicled the conflict as when it started on Friday, July 18, when two Palestinian men were killed in an Israeli missile strike in Gaza. The New York Times remarked that the Israeli Minister of Defense would not tolerate any other attempts to harm Israeli civilians or soldiers.

After several more attacks
Israel blamed Hamas, an “Islamic Militant group that dominates
Gaza, for the abduction,” noted the NY Times. On July 7,
Israel called for 1,500 troops to aid in the growing hostility.